Dutch striker Van Persie pounced in the 76th minute with a clinical finish to make it nine straight wins which is their best sequence since the 2003/04 season.

Boss Arsene Wenger famously went through that season unbeaten in the Premier League and the class of 2007 has a look of greatness about them.

Last night's game was hardly a classic but it was a priceless victory which leaves the Premier League leaders with a foot in the knock-out stages.

Arsenal's victory had a stamp of resilience written all over it because the young Gunners were determined to maintain their wonderful winning habit.

Eastern Europe has not been a happy hunting ground for Wenger as his men have suffered five defeats in nine years in Kiev, Moscow and Donetsk.

But Arsenal became the first English team to win in the Steaua Stadium in a loud atmosphere which had a nasty undercurrent of racist chants as the Gunners' black players were jeered whenever they touched the ball.

That was probably hardly surprising as Steaua's owner Gigi Becali is running for presidency as leader of an extreme right-wing party and has caused outrage with homophobic and racist comments in his election campaign.

Becali is probably a bad advert for the egocentric, Eastern European tycoon with Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov locked in a battle to try and buy out Arsenal.

But while Wenger is performing minor miracles, who needs Usmanov's roubles?

Last night's game was a bit scrappy, and yet Arsenal dug in and deserved their victory with a resilience which has not always been present in Wenger's teams of the past three years.

They even got their victory despite a row over goal-line technology which left Wenger insisting video replays must be introduced as soon as possible.

Steaua keeper Robinson Zapata appeared to carry Gael Clichy's deflected cross over the line in the 40th minute.

But Arsenal might not have expected favours from Norwegian referee Terje Hauge who sent off Jens Lehmann in the 2005 Champions League final.

Wenger would have been left even angrier had Van Persie not snatched the winner as Arsenal were always on top and anything other than an away win would have been rough justice.

Arsenal only produced their best in flashes possibly because they had gone into the game with fitness doubts surrounding Alexander Hleb, Emmanuel Adebayor and Mathieu Flamini.

But when they did get the ball moving in midfield they cut the Steaua defence to ribbons, with Hleb looking particularly menacing.

It was Hleb's cross in the third minute which found Van Persie and his quick feet deceived Ovidiu Petre who appeared to take the Dutchman's legs away but Hauge did not give a penalty.

Five minutes later Hleb again put in a low cross to Cesc Fabregas who inexplicably blazed over from five yards.

Suddenly Steaua looked menacing and Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia was caught off his line and Adrian Neaga's dipping shot was cleared off the line by Kolo Toure.

That seemed to give the visitors a wake-up call and Hleb found Adebayor whose low cross was turned into the roof of the net by Van Persie.

It brought wild celebrations from Arsenal as they know that last night's victory puts them on the verge of something special.